Britain’s only carpet museum to close down after visitors fall to just six a day

Britain’s only carpet museum to close down after visitors fall to just six a day Sara Odeen-Isbister Sara Odeen-Isbister Published November 28, 2025 10:21am Updated November 28, 2025 10:21am Share this article via whatsappShare this article via xCopy the link to this article.Link is copiedShare this article via facebook Comment now Comments The Museum of Carpet, in Kidderminster, Worcestershire is closing after visitor numbers dropped (Photo: Emma Trimble/SWNS)

Britain’s only carpet museum will shut its doors for good due to falling visitor numbers.

The Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster, Worcestershire – billed the UK’s carpet capital due to its carpet manufacturing history – was a big hit when it opened in 2012.

But visitor numbers have dropped to an average of just six a day, not enough to cover running costs of around £100,000 a year.

The visitor attraction, housed in an 10th century mill, features hundreds of rug and underlay samples from the last 300 years.

In the early days the museum attracted coach loads of fabric fans and school groups.

Sign up for all of the latest stories

Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.

It even gained a bit of a cult status online and has a host of five star reviews on Trip Advisor.

One reviewer writes:, ‘An excellent way to spend an interesting few hours’, while another says: ‘Absolutely fascinating. We were lucky that a volunteer who used to work in the carpet mills was on hand to add extra information and explanation.’

The museum features carpets and equipment used to make carpets from the past 300 years (Picture: Emma Trimble/SWNS)

The museum itself has previously posted a tongue-in-cheek video of Gary Barlow describing the attraction as a ‘very nice day out’.

The museum, which charges £6 for adults and £17 for families, will close its doors for the final time on December 20.

Geoffrey Gilbert, chair of the Carpet Museum Trust, said: ‘Certainly, in the last four or five years we have really struggled and we’re about £30,000 to £50,000 short of what we need.

‘The business model we have for keeping the museum going produces a demand on us in terms of what would be staff, utilities and general running costs for the building.

The museum was popular with schools but one teacher says schools don’t have enough money for such trips now (Picture: Emma Trimble/SWNS)

‘It comes to about £100,000 for the year but generating income to match that has been very difficult over the years.’

Mr Gilbert said The Carpet Museum Trust would continue to look after the collection.

Dismayed locals said the town will be losing its ‘jewel in the crown’.

Retired teacher Emily Sykes, 64, said: ‘I am really sorry to see the museum closing.

‘When I was teaching we would often take groups of pupils to the museum for school trips but the schools don’t have the money now.

The museum is housed in an 18th century mill (Picture: Emma Trimble/SWNS)

‘It’s a pity to lose it, it kept the history of the town’s industry alive for the younger generation.’

More Trending

1. 

   'Loving' grandmother attacked while she prepared to go Christmas shopping

   Channel: UK UK 29 minutes ago By Barney Davis
2. Husband of £3m Omaze winner 'secretly recorded' and sexually abused young girls
3. Man's body found in grounds of an infant school
4. British dad was killed 'in front of his girlfriend and newborn baby' in jet ski crash

Social media users, meanwhile, shared their thoughts on the impending closure.

‘It was only a matter of time before the rug was pulled from beneath them,’ one said.

‘Enjoyed my first shag pile in there when I was younger. Special place,’ another added.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Arrow MORE: One of the world’s greatest mysteries may have been solved after 900 years

Arrow MORE: This West Midlands cabin is the perfect place for a romantic UK getaway

Arrow MORE: ‘Entitled Instagram vandals’ tear down 500-year-old castle wall to take pictures

Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source News Updates

Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.

Email I agree to receive newsletters from Metro I agree to receive newsletters from Metro Sign UpSign Up

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy